Current Lewis Hamilton

A place to put all the posts from all the other threads primarily but love him or hate him, and even for the indifferent amongst us this is the place to discuss the marmite that is Lewis Hamilton, to learn a thing or two about his rise, talk about those controversial, genius or mad moments and something that i am bemused by, the recent articles that suggest something quite different to my perception of what's going on. Any experiences of meeting LH?

Brundle had to write a Lewis Hamilton article recently and in my tweets (which were probably ignored) I asked him to talk about LH the driver not LH the personality. It seems that you can't have one without the other.

So as a starter for ten, here is a fairly recent LH article. Posts should not be limited to this link but it can get some discussion going. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13755883.stm

The only banned topic as it is clearly ridiculous involves these four things "Glock" "2008" "Brazil" "conspiracy"

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Thats all well and good but only works if he doesn't let what the press are saying about his sulky face bother him - and it clearly does - same with his fans.

I don't think anyone's worried about his sulky face, maybe more about the pressure on the stewards to penalise this in some way to appease the press,ewis can't win. It's not like he called other drivers idiots or vegetables, it's not even like he made a joke, he didnt berate his team or the stewards, what did he do so wrong?

He showed his true feelings about a race he was denied a win in by a 'wrong clutch setting' and his 'sulky face' becomes the defining moment of his race

Anyway it's reality tv show actors and pop singers who need to worry about their demeanour, I thought athletes were above that, being generally valued for their sporting prowess and not their physical attractiveness

Maybe F1 has really just become a popularity contest instead of a sport

 

[Jen]

Maybe F1 has really just become a popularity contest instead of a sport

Got it, spot on for some and how sad is that!

 

[FB]

Mod Comment

Guys - this is a thread about Lewis Hamilton pleas try and keep it on topic.

Thanks

FB

 

[Jos the Boss]

Lewis and Yao Ming

Lewis Hamilton on twitter

Yes yes I know I had to crouch down to make @YaoMing look bigger!

 

[FB]

Bloody hell - and we wonder how they manage to make a car that fits him and Button in it. Imagine if they had to come up with something for those two.

 

[RasputinLives]

Anyway it's reality tv show actors and pop singers who need to worry about their demeanour, I thought athletes were above that, being generally valued for their sporting prowess and not their physical attractiveness

Yes completely agree - my comments were merely about Lewis's media image in response to a conversation you actually started when you stated:

he seems to be handling the media more effectively these days

After this statement Racecub suggested he was trying the 'Mika' approach and if we read the points that follow that we discussed the various different media approachs and my comment was to indicate that the Mika/Kimi impassive media approach style doesn't work if you let it bother you what people write in the press about you. From comments he's made in the past Lewis does care about how people see him in the press. This isn't a critisim so do the majority of people. I was just stating that the "say what you like about me in the press. I don't care" approach only works if you genuinally don't care. Lewis(like the majority of us) clearly does and therefore maybe its not going to work. I'm sorry for having to come back on this point but I obviously didn't write it clearly enough for you to understand.

As for rating Lewis on his physical attractiveness - unless I've had my account hacked - I think you might find it difficult to find any post where have commented on my own sexual arrousal concerning Lewis Hamilton or any current F1 driver and I certainly was not knocking his 'sporting prowess' so please don't make out like I'm a scummy tabloid newspaper especially when you write things like

I don't think anyone's worried about his sulky face, maybe more about the pressure on the stewards to penalise this in some way to appease the press

Which lets face it, is total fantasy.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

The only importance of a 'sulky face' in the rules and regulations is zero, unless this is allowed to be used to judge or penalise a sporting incident, or used as an excuse to deny the benefit of doubt all season to a driver. Apart from that I dont think fans worry about a drivers brief emotionally charged demeanour after a race

 

[RasputinLives]

The only importance of a 'sulky face' in the rules and regulations is zero, unless this is allowed to be used to judge or penalise a sporting incident, or used as an excuse to deny the benefit of doubt all season to a driver. Apart from that I dont think fans worry about a drivers brief emotionally charged demeanour after a race

I'm sorry Cook I don't think you're quite understanding what I'm writing. I'll try and break it down for you. I'm not suggesting that Lewis is breaking some form of rule by being grumpy. He is free to look and act completely how he likes as you are correct this has nothing to do with F1 but he can't expect to do this and not have it written about. Thats why they call it a 'press conference'.

Which brings me back to my original point when drivers are handling the press. They know how it works and if they really don't give a crap whats written about them (such as Kimi) then they can get away with what they like. However you can't do things in press conferences and then complain about media pressure. I think Lewis does feel the pressure from the media sometimes and certainly (like most of them) cares about his public image - we saw it when he waws accused of being of liar in Australia, we saw it when he went to his 'dark place' last season so I don't think the 'minimal content' way of handling the media that racecub suggested he was adapting would work for him.

You are correct that in an ideal world all sporting people should be judged on their abilities alone but we don't live in an ideal world and everyone is aware of this especially the drivers or they wouldn't employ all these managers. An important part of any sportsmans career is his media personality because the media is everything from interviews afterwards to forums such as this - and it influences everything too. Thats the world we live in. I find it espeically weird to have the morale high ground on the media card played by someone who on various occasions has used questionable media stories to comment against other drivers.

 

[FB]

Apart from that I don't think fans worry about a drivers brief emotionally charged demeanour after a race

Then why did so many get upset when Vettel called Karthikeyan an idiot after Malaysia?

 

[Cookinflatsix]

They just overreacting on Seb because he lost it briefly, drivers have done and said a lot worse in the past, not that it excuses it. If it wasnt Seb or Lewis or MS it would be forgotten by now

 

[RasputinLives]

They just overreacting on Seb because he lost it briefly, drivers have done and said a lot worse in the past, not that it excuses it. If it wasnt Seb or Lewis or MS it would be forgotten by now

The fans are overreacting? all the fans? Are you above the avergae fan? Who do you mean is overreacting?

 

[FB]

I agree there CFS - the media are always looking for signs of weakness, even the slightest hint and they come barging through. Vettel had an easy time last season, both personally and professionally. Lewis had difficulty in both areas. It would appear they are trying to lever open any chinks in Vettel's armour, much as has happened to Hamilton in the past. Interesting you should |mention Schumie as I can't think of an occasion where he has lost it (apart from trying to punch Coulthard and, let's face it, we've all felt like doing that now and again)

 

[RasputinLives]

I agree about the media too - but this current Seb thing has upset fans too - for example:

http://cliptheapex.com/threads/war-of-words-continues.4801/

No media involved there - so to put it down to meida over-reacting seems a bit rich. The fans obviously do care about it. So they obviously do care about how their drivers come across.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Vettel hasn't apologised for the comments, I guess he wouldnt think he lost it either. The fans of Seb will not think any less of him because he believes another driver was at fault for a costly incident. The media will fan any flames and lots of fans of other drivers that Seb has beaten recently will be probably eager to lap it all up

Coming back to LH, most fans will not be affected by his sulky face, its all part of sports. Even though he earns millions he is allowed to be human.

 

[racecub]

I'll clarify my thoughts here. You are right Rasputini, I did say Lewis may be trying the kimi/ Hakinnen approach, and I agree with you that it wont come easy to him, but, if he says little, then people can interperate his face however they wish. I dont actually think it came easy to Hakinnen, but he managed it, and Lewis now has the same manager, so......
On Seb, since he was mentioned ealier, I dont think we should be down on him like a ton of bricks, people are entitled to react emotionally in the heat of the moment. What I find difficult, is in the cold light of day, he hasnt apologised. Ok he feels he wasnt in the wrong, he's entitled to that opinion, but he didnt apologise for his attack on Narain, thats a different thing. As far as I know(and I accept I may be wrong) lewis has never attacked another driver, he's been outspoken about stewards, he's made ill advised comments, but I dont think he's been vindictive to another driver. Shoot me down if im wrong.

 

[riskitall]

all youve gotta do is have a look at what fans of vettel are saying about it on different forums.
most of them are sticking up for him.and some say he was a wrong but he was just very frustrated after the race and needed to vent.
then you have fans of lewis saying alot of you vettel fans slaughtered lewis last season for some of the things he said,and now its your driver its not a big deal.
but thats just the way it is,ppl will be bias if they like x more than y like whitmarsh,they just cant help it.

 

[Lewywo4]

then you have fans of lewis saying alot of you vettel fans slaughtered lewis last season for some of the things he said,and now its your driver its not a big deal.

That's the double standard that Lewis will always have to face, and I'm quite sure that he had learned that reality a long time ago, from his father Anthony.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

all youve gotta do is have a look at what fans of vettel are saying about it on different forums.
most of them are sticking up for him.and some say he was a wrong but he was just very frustrated after the race and needed to vent.
then you have fans of lewis saying alot of you vettel fans slaughtered lewis last season for some of the things he said,and now its your driver its not a big deal.
but thats just the way it is,ppl will be bias if they like x more than y like whitmarsh,they just cant help it.

And then you have more balanced fans who thought Lewis' and Seb's comments were equally ill advised. Let's not forget those that aren't die hard driver fanatics.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I doubt any fan of Sebs or Lewis or even F1 in general, will change their mind or think less of them, for making emotional outbursts rite after a race they felt hard done by.

Even if the comments were obviously wrong or ill advised sports fans dont withdraw support or turn on a competitor for showing disapointment at losing a race or position etc

Back to the point Lewis and Seb will not be judged on their brief demeanour after a race by their true fans, only their detractors will make issues of 'sulky faces'

Even Lewis' famous 'monkeys in the back' comment is instantly forgiveable, afterall he was talking then about mobile chicanes like Trulli, Barrichello and others clogging up the back of the grid and causing annoyance and problems to the top drivers, just like Karthikeyan with Vettel

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I think less of Lewis after his silly comments after Monaco last year, and in fact after his approach to the season last year. Your doubts are misguided. That said, he is still my favourite driver.